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Friday, January 20, 2012

Charlotte Mason's "Scientific Spirit" Embodies the Humanities

Charlotte Mason's "Scientific Spirit"

Embodies the Humanities

. . . much and
varied humane reading as well as human thought expressed in the forms of art,
is, not a luxury, a tit-bit, to be given to children now and then, but their
very bread of life, which they must have in abundant portions and at regular
periods. This and more is implied in the phrase, “The mind feeds on ideas and
therefore children should have a generous curriculum.” Philosophy of
Education page 111.

The day I contemplated the above passage by Charlotte Mason
twenty-some-odd years ago, was a sobering moment. It took account of how
impoverished my education was in the area of the humanities. How on earth was I
going to teach my children by a method that emphasized the humanities –
something I was so lacking in myself? As a student who read few books cover to
cover I still managed to graduate from high school with above average grades. I
received at least a “smattering” of information from what might be called
classroom lectures and then the hour-long homework assignments. But of books
themselves – hardly a smattering.

Following graduation I committed my life to the Savior Christ
Jesus. My interest in reading Scripture and books in general was lively.
Such a spark of enlightenment (the epistles now wonderfully made sense) must
have come from the Supreme Educator. I joke that I passed through all my years
of school getting by with a sincere attentive reading of two books; one of
these was Green Eggs and Ham.

“How injurious then is our habit of depreciating children;
we water their books down and drain them of literary flavor, because we wrongly
suppose that children cannot understand what we understand ourselves. . . .” Phil.
of Ed. Pg 304.

My next question is best put with slang. Where did I get off
thinking I was qualified to teach my own children? My answer is in hindsight.
When confidence is low and still growing, courage steps up to lead. Love casts
out fear. It fills the place in a mother’s heart where fear wishes to dwell.

“Show me a mother with an enduring love for her children and
I’ll show you a mother who meets the requirements for home teaching. With love
comes the self-sacrifice, daily discipline, kindness, patience, and
determination needed to set her children’s feet on the paths of righteousness,
skill, and knowledge. She who sows seeds by home teaching overtime will reap
the fruits of her labor.”Lessons of Blackberry Inn Pg 222.

We learned together.

We turned to living books and various art forms for
knowledge and culture. For science the typical grammar school textbook falls
flat. Charlotte Mason points to where the trouble lies. Most science textbooks
scarcely touch upon the humanities. It is the humanities in education – the
human aspect - that Miss Mason so emphatically endorses. In her ideal point of
view on the subject of science she challenges us to present its general
principles with their accompanying philosophical ideas. This isn’t as puzzling
as it may sound. A passage from Miss Mason simplifies it.

“Scientific truths,”
said Descartes, “are battles won; describe to the young the principal and most heroic of these battles; you will thus interest them in the
results of science, and you will develop in them a scientific spirit by means
of the enthusiasm for the conquest of truth; you will make them see the power
of the reasoning which has led to discoveries in the past, and which will do so
again in the future.” Parents and Children Pg 128.

Science becomes “living” when we mix

philosophy (ideas),

biography (personality),

literature (story),

drama (a touch of emotion),

some first hand observation.

Descartes’ word “heroic” must have swum around in the little
quiet pool of my subconscious. For, when I was introduced to Your Story Houraudio I recognized its value. I was sensitive to
whatever would help me bring the scientific spirit to our home school. If you
ask my grown children about Your Story Hour they will tell you that they have fond memories of
listening to it. Yolanda claims she “loves” it. The scripts are literary,
philosophical, biographical, and touched with human emotion. (Mid to upper
elementary and junior high.)

Some of the recordings were done as early as 1949 with a
style that truly originates from the radio era. Perhaps this has something to do
with their quality. Is there anything that surpasses them? They are a bit
old-fashioned and corny around the edges, but never obnoxious, always
respectful with an intelligent morality that is in keeping with a reverence for
God.

Your Story Hour was a
welcomed help to this mother in giving her children Miss Mason’s “abundant
portions” of “varied humane
reading.” The dramatized stories focus on persons in history who demonstrate
attributes of strong moral character. Some are scientists.

“Great Stories” Volume 10 also has a few scientists who
persevere and struggle against adversity such as Fleming’s story of Penicillin
and Roentgen’s discovery of the x-ray.

The Sowers series is an excellent source of biographies. (Read aloud to 4th grade up, silent reading - upper
elementary) We particularly enjoyed Isaac Newtonby the John Hudson Tiner who is an author enthusiastic about science. I
was probably hoping to tack onto our year his Johannes Kepler. It looks fabulous but it is one book that fell
through the cracks.

We put our library discard to good use: Nikola Tesla –Giant of Electricity by Helen B. Walters.
As a young boy Nikola spent much time gazing at nature and thinking. One of the
lines reads, “No wonder God had looked at His world after creation and said it
was good.” Authors of children’s books were still mentioning God incidentally
in the 1960s when it was fitting.

I wish you and your children the scientific spirit.

Post Script

Written narration with sketches from Nigel’s 6th
grade science notebook – the Edison entries - help decorate this post.

The retro wooden radio was once handy for playing cassettes.
I still use it as a radio in my office/sewing room where I write you.

My grandson’s kitty cat is no longer part of the family. On
the sad day his mother made him a stuffed kitty out of felt scraps - a soothing
consolation.

I’m saving certain books and the Your Story Hour for William and his baby brother Joseph who, by the
way, is wearing the wool cardigan that his grandmother knit him. She couldn’t resist ending this post
with the cute factor.

17 comments:

Hi Karen. You do have sweet grandchildren! My own kitty died a couple of years ago, and I still miss his warm greeting on the porch each day.

About humanities: we stumbled upon a great resource for our children when we discovered the adult non-fiction section of the library. I had known it existed. We had just spent most of our time in children's fiction. One day my daughter came bounding up to me with a book about submarine warfare clapsed to her chest. "OHHHH look, mom, did you know THIS was in here?" From that day on, the non-fiction section has been her constant haunt.

I found that we didn't need much directed study with her in this area. Natural curiosity was the best director she could have had.

You'll never guess! A new couple has begun worshipping with our congregation. Last Sunday in Bible Class the wife mentioned Charlotte Mason's philosophy of working to learn in response to a question about why Jesus taught in parables. This might not be such a big deal to many, but my family was the lone homeschooling family in our congregation for 17 years or so. After class she and I talked about Miss Mason's Ourselves. What a wonderful surprise!

You introduced me to the Your Story Hour tapes years ago when we met. They are still being listened to here, although I should like to upgrade to CD's at some point:-) Our cassette player is really on its last let I am afraid.

Charlotte's words ring true for the mastery of science. For the younger grades the textbooks are just too dry and uninteresting, we prefer the living books. Yet, in the HS years we had to use more formal texts along with living books.

Susan, What a delight that after so many years another family has come to the church that you attend who has read Charlotte Mason's writings. After some years of keeping relatively quiet in our little country church in Maine about Miss Mason, an enthusiastic family walked through the door one Sunday and much conversation ensued, mostly over supper at our house. The following week we talked at their house. We took turns like this, sharing meals in and out of our houses, until our family moved out-of-state. I miss them.

Suzanne,My daughter Yolanda reminded me today on the telephone that she remembers me telling her to stop listening to the "Your Story Hours" one day. Apparently I didn't wish her to get carried away or maybe the rain had stopped and it was time to go out and play.We also used some textbooks for science in the high school years. A wintery mix is on its way so I'm off to get some green grocery. Thank you for the discussion, ladies and for your long distance "Charlotte Mason friendship." Karen A.

Poor William--how sad it is to lose a beloved pet. Your grandsons are precious. Joseph is nicely roly-poly (as I think babies should be!).

Our eldest is a sixth grader this year and has read a number of the science biographies you mention here. She is currently reading Archimedes and today's chapter was the explanation of pi. I thought it helpful that she was able to see the usefulness of the concept before she encountered it in a math lesson. I do feel truly blessed that our children can learn this way, especially when I think of the many wasted hours of my school career. (Your description of school work in NJ sounds much like mine was in MD.)

Thank you for your words of encouragement to keep striving as home educators and mothers.

Karen, Thanks so much for the book recommendations. I really disliked science (in public school), and find that I skirt around the subject with my own daughters.

I'm sure that some good books would help me to enjoy science - and would be good for the girls as well.

Also, I have such trouble with science because I keep thinking that studying science needs to involve beakers and experiments and things I don't understand. I really need to "get it through my head" that reading a great book on a great inventor or great mathematician would count as science at the ages of my girls.

Thank you for giving me some great ideas to use with my son Jacob for science.

It so far has been a bit of a dull year for science, I read, we discuss and he writes down what he has learned, but I have not included any story books along with it.

I need to remember that it is okay to learn about different types of science at the same time, that I don't have to save certain books for later.

I was gifted some of the "Your Story Hour" cassettes from a friend that sells homeschool books, as everyone wants CD's now. We have a similar vintage looking radio that plays cassettes and CD's, we listen to it often...mostly classical music. I find it is a great background to learning.

Anyway, enough of my rambling. Thanks again for sharing your thoughts and the pictures of your adorable grandsons!

I remember listening to Your Story Hour on the radio as a child. My children listen on the internet and enjoy it too. We also have the CDs about the Wright brothers and the Pilgrims, which they like a lot! Thank you for the birthday greetings--you made my day!

I agree that children can be spurred on to the sciences through the reading of biographies. I have a 17 year old who tends to be rather artistic (music, drawing etc.) However he is leaning toward a medical missions career after having been inspired by the lives of scientist and doctor's. We all know that motivation is half of the equation ...and it's the first half in accomplishing mastery in any area of skill.

What a timely post. After experiencing one frustrating moment after another with a popular Christian science curriculum, I recently decided to shelve it and go back to reading biographies aloud to my 13 and 11 year olds. The discussions we're enjoying together are ever so much more delightful than what we experienced prior. Thanks, Karen, for reminding me (through this post and your other writings) of the joy and pleasure of the "human aspect" of the sciences and humanities. I've learned so much from you and will be forever grateful. :)

These have been recommended to me before!! THANK YOU! :) Love the Charlotte quotes...I am getting mentally geared up and inspired for us returning to some of our more "formal" learning...just had my baby, so we are relaxing right now. :)

Karen,I working very hard on switching over to present our learning more in line with Charlotte Mason's philosophy. Thank you so much for this post. I am to the point where I am looking for specifics.Warm wishes,Tonya

We recently pulled my son out of a homeschool academy and I wasn't sure what to do with him regarding science as he has some learning difficulties. I have him reading science biographies mainly and I'm glad to see that I was not wrong in doing so.